‍ ‍Deontrae Ellis

I am a passionate UX Researcher and behavioral health leader based in Dayton, Ohio, with more than 15 years of experience in substance abuse treatment, mental health services, criminal justice programming, and healthcare leadership. Throughout my career, I have held progressively advanced leadership roles, including Program Coordinator, Director of Court Services, Behavioral Health Supervisor, Clinical Supervisor, and most recently Associate Director within a Community-Based Correctional Facility (CBCF), where I oversee operations, clinical programming, staff development, compliance, and strategic initiatives impacting hundreds of justice-involved individuals. My professional journey has been defined by designing and implementing innovative, outcome-driven programs that address complex social and behavioral challenges. Notable accomplishments include developing a court services program that expanded across a six-county region, helping create a violence intervention initiative that contributed to a 60% reduction in homicides during its implementation, and developing a jail-based intensive outpatient treatment program that achieved a 30% reduction in recidivism among participants. These experiences strengthened my ability to analyze complex systems, identify user needs, engage stakeholders, and translate data into meaningful solutions.

In 2022, I earned a UX/UI Design and Research Certificate from Thinkful, allowing me to combine my expertise in psychology, behavioral health, and program development with human-centered design and user research methodologies. Today, I leverage skills such as user interviews, focus groups, journey mapping, usability testing, stakeholder engagement, and data analysis to uncover insights that drive meaningful improvements in products, services, and experiences.

As a dedicated advocate for evidence-based decision-making and user-centered innovation, I bring a unique blend of empathy, leadership, strategic thinking, and research expertise. I am passionate about applying my extensive healthcare and behavioral health experience to improve digital products, healthcare technologies, and service delivery systems. Currently seeking opportunities in UX Research, Service Design, Health Technology, and Human-Centered Design, I am excited to contribute my diverse background and transferable skills to organizations committed to creating impactful, user-focused solutions.